Chandigarh: Schools exploiting parents with expensive books from private publishers: Book prices skyrocket at Ryan International School Sector 49 Chandigarh
School Book Price: Despite clear orders from the Directorate of Education, private schools are forcing parents to buy books from private publishers at exorbitant prices. Ryan International School Sector 49 Chandigarh is reportedly forcing parents to buy these expensive books, which are three to four times more expensive than NCERT books. Some schools have even come up with “discount offers” on entire sets of books to lure parents.
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With the new academic session 2025-26 starting in April, parents are facing a severe financial burden due to the skyrocketing prices of books, notebooks and stationery. NCERT books, priced between ₹30 to ₹100, are being bypassed by books from private publishers, priced between ₹300 to ₹1200 per book.
School Book Prices : Heavy expenses on parents
Parents are being forced to buy books and stationery directly from schools. The situation is particularly worrisome for lower kindergarten (LKG) students, where just three books, art and craft material and stationery cost parents nearly ₹5,000. Similarly, the total cost of books and notebooks for Class 7 students is over ₹8,000. Families with two children are bearing an additional financial burden of nearly ₹20,000, including book cover charges, which is being unfairly levied on parents.
Parents helpless
According to the president of the parents’ association, nearly 90% of the parents have already purchased books from private publishers as per the school’s instructions. The latest instruction from the Directorate of Education has come too late, as schools have already distributed the books. Besides, many schools have failed to provide the mandatory list of five booksellers, and where such lists exist, parents have reported difficulties in getting books. They further alleged that there is a commission-based nexus between schools and private publishers, yet the authorities have not taken any action against it.
Schools cannot force parents to buy particular books
The Directorate of Education has recently issued new guidelines stating that private schools cannot force parents to buy books from particular publishers. Schools have to display the names of at least five vendors from whom books and stationery can be purchased. Parents can also lodge complaints against non-compliant schools by contacting the designated nodal officer on 9818154069.
Exorbitant prices for stationery items
The price of stationery in private schools has also increased significantly. Below are some examples of the current prices:
Additional Stationery Prices
| Item | Price (₹) |
| Notebook (Single Line) | 40 |
| Single Line Interleaf | 40 |
| Drawing | 120 |
| Covers | 300 |
| File | 300 |
Cost of Books and Stationery for Class 8
| Book Name | Price (₹) |
|---|---|
| English Glory | 580 |
| Superb English Grammar | 380 |
| Math Booster | 599 |
| Landmark Integrated Social Sciences | 540 |
| Living Science | 654 |
| Hindi (Falak) | 1134 |
| Logic and Beyond | 330 |
| Code AI Pluse | 475 |
| Other Books | 1500 |
| Total (Books + Notebooks) | 8000/- |
Schools must teach only NCERT books
Every year, CBSE instructs schools to follow NCERT textbooks, which serve as the national standard for education and assessment. Schools are expected to adhere to this guideline and discontinue the practice of making private publishers’ books compulsory. However, enforcement remains weak, allowing schools to profit at the expense of parents.
Parents demand strict intervention from the authorities to stop this malpractice and ensure that quality education does not come with an undue financial burden.
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